Automatic gate



July 24, 1951 w BENKE 2,561,683

AUTOMATIC GATE Filed 001. 14, 1949 2 Shets-Sheet 1 il i'lzz'an .BeukeINVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

July 24, 1951 w. BENKE 2,561,683

AUTOMATIC GATE Filed Oct. 14, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 William .BenkeINVENTOR BY M ATTORNEYS Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED 's'rArEsj, PATIENTO i William Benke,

San Antonio, Tex assignor to Carlos W. Bacon, Sn, Bexar County, Tex.Application .October 14, 1949, Serial No. 121,437

1 Claim. (algae-6i.

This invention relates,-to gate construction,

and more particularly automatic gate construction. v i

The primary object of the invention is tcprovide agate having operatingmeans which. is in the form of pivoted rampsthat engage the verticallyswinging gate in such a way that when the "wheels of a motor vehiclepass thereonto, the gate will swing downwardly allowing the motorvehicle .to provided to holdthe gate in its open position, while themotor vehicle is passing thereover.

Another object of the invention is to provide means controlled by theweight of the vehicle passing thereover, for releasing the gate to theaction of springs, which urge the gate to its upright or closedposition.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is an end elevational view of a gateconstructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts broken away illustrating a pair ofgates, one gate for each traflic lane.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a gate, equipped with an operatingmeans constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the latching means for holding the gate inits open position while a vehicle is passing thereover.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, illustrating a portion of a panel at oneend of a gate, against which a ramp moves in opening the gate.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental end elevational view of a ramp, illustrating therollers as mounted thereon.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the ref erence character 5indicates hinges whichinelude brackets 6 which have horizontal bolts 1extended therethrough, and around which the tubular sections 8 of thehinges, operate.

The reference character 9 indicates gate posts between which the gateproper I0 operates, the gate in including upper and lower spaced rails I0' and II respectively, the rails being connected at their ends by meansof the vertical end bars I 2.

As shown, the gate also includes vertical bars pass thereover, meansbeing 1 l3 which are spaced from the bars I 2, providing frames for thepanels I4 which panels are provided with spaced longitudinally disposedgrooves 15 that provide tracks for the rollers [6 that are mounted atthe outer ends of the pivoted ramps I 1. These pivoted ramps areconstructed preferably of heavy sheet metal material and have one oftheir respectiveends formed tubular to accommodate the hinge pin 18associated there with, the hinge pins l8 being mounted in the foundationof the gate, as shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Arms l9 extend laterally from the upper end of the gate, and providestops, the arms l9 engaging the gate posts 9 when the gate swingsupwardly, holding the gate in an upright position.

Coiled springs 20 are connected with each end of the gate, and thesecoiled springs are anchored to the gate posts, in such a way that whenthe gate swings downwardly to its open position, the springs will beplaced under tension to return the position, after the gate has beenreleased and the motor vehicle has passed the open gate.

The springs 20 have their upper ends connected with the bars 21 that arepivotally connected with the posts 9, by means of the bolts 28, thelower ends of the coiled springs 20 being connected to the gate proper,at the ends of the gate, and at points in spaced relation with respectto the brackets 6, at 29. Thus it will be seen that when the gate swingsto its open position, the springs 20 will be placed under tension toreturn the gate to its normal position after a car has passed thereover.

In order that the movement of the gate to its closed position will becushioned, tubular shock absorbers 30 are connected between the gateends and the inner sides of the posts 9, the shock absorbers 30 being ofthe well known type wherein fluid is forced through an opening of apiston. These shock absorbers will cushion the movements of the gate toits closed position and prevent damage to the gate by sudden jarresulting from the closing of the gate, wherein no shock absorbers areused.

As shown by Fig. 4 of the drawings, latch members are provided forengaging the arms I 9 of the gates, when the gates swing downwardly,securing the gates in their open positions, temporarily. As shown, thelatch members include tubular brackets 2| in which the latch arms 22operate, the latch arms 22 having latch heads 23 formed with curvedouter surfaces that engaged curved gate to its normally closed and causethe latch head 23 to disengage the arm,

l9 associated therewith. When the latch head releases the gate, be swungto its normal vertical position by the coiled springs 20 as previouslydescribed;

Extending upwardly from one of the brackets 2| of each pair port thelatch, is the arm the coiled spring 26 is of the coiled spring 26 beingconnected with the right angled'endof the arm 22-, atZT. I 7 It might befurther stated, that it is cont'em plated touse two of these gates on Ia" road, each gate closing a traflie lane; and bee'a'useoi thisarrangement', each gate will open in one direction only; v r In view ofthe-foregoing detailed disclosure, it is thought that furtherdescription a's-to the op- 'eration of the gate is unnecessary.

tubular Having thus described the invention, what is 3'0 claimed is I ofbrackets thatvsup' 25 to which one end oi, connected, the opposite endit is obvious that the gate will gate downwardly A gate of the classdescribed, comprising gate posts, a vertically swinging gate mountedbetween the posts, side panels providing runways forming a part of thegate, said panels having spaced longitudinal grooves providing tracks,formed in one side surface thereof, pivoted ramps disposed adjacent tothe front of the gate, rollers mounted on the forward ends of the ramps,operating within the; grooves formed in the runways',swinging the toit's open position under the a motor vehicle moving thereover, and

weight of returning the gate to its normal closed means for position,

WILLIAM BENKE.

v REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,531,995 Steece Mar. 31, 192 51,759,207 Rose et a1. May-20, 1930 '2;024 ,063 Roper Dec; 10, 19352,256,662 Blalre'r; Sept..23,

' FOREIGN PATENTS Number i Country Date Great Britain J illy 5,1939

